This Is England Lyrics
[Spoken Intro]
Four for a pound your face flannels, three for a pound your tea towels!
Four for a pound your face flannels, three for a pound your tea towels!
[Verse 1]
I hear a gang fight on a human factory farm
Are they howling out, or doing somebody harm?
On a catwalk jungle, somebody grabbed my arm
A voice spoke so cold it matched the weapon in her palm
[Chorus]
This is England
This knife of Sheffield steel
This is England
This is how we feel
[Verse 2]
Time on his hands the freezing mohawk strolls
He won't go for the carrots
Been beaten by the pole
Some sunny day confronted by his soul
His eye will see how fast you can grow old
[Chorus]
This is England
That I'm supposed to die for
This is England
Never gonna cry no more
Four for a pound your face flannels, three for a pound your tea towels!
Four for a pound your face flannels, three for a pound your tea towels!
[Verse 1]
I hear a gang fight on a human factory farm
Are they howling out, or doing somebody harm?
On a catwalk jungle, somebody grabbed my arm
A voice spoke so cold it matched the weapon in her palm
[Chorus]
This is England
This knife of Sheffield steel
This is England
This is how we feel
[Verse 2]
Time on his hands the freezing mohawk strolls
He won't go for the carrots
Been beaten by the pole
Some sunny day confronted by his soul
His eye will see how fast you can grow old
[Chorus]
This is England
That I'm supposed to die for
This is England
Never gonna cry no more
[Verse 3]
Black shadow of the Vincent
Falls on a Triumph line
I got my motorcycle jacket
But I'm walking all the time
South Atlantic wind blows
Ice from a dying creed
I see no glory
And when will we get free?
[Chorus]
This is England
We can chain you to the rail
This is England
We can kill you in a jail
[Verse 4]
Hey, British boots go kick Bengali in the head
Police sit watching
The newspapers being read
All deaf to protests
And after the attacker fled
Out came the batons and
The biggest one then said
[Outro]
This is England
The land of illegal dances
This is England
Land of one thousand stances
This is England
This knife of Sheffield steel
This is England
This is how we feel
This is England
This is England
Black shadow of the Vincent
Falls on a Triumph line
I got my motorcycle jacket
But I'm walking all the time
South Atlantic wind blows
Ice from a dying creed
I see no glory
And when will we get free?
[Chorus]
This is England
We can chain you to the rail
This is England
We can kill you in a jail
[Verse 4]
Hey, British boots go kick Bengali in the head
Police sit watching
The newspapers being read
All deaf to protests
And after the attacker fled
Out came the batons and
The biggest one then said
[Outro]
This is England
The land of illegal dances
This is England
Land of one thousand stances
This is England
This knife of Sheffield steel
This is England
This is how we feel
This is England
This is England
About
Genius Annotation
The standout track from the Clash’s disappointing final album Cut the Crap, “This is England” paints a picture of mid-80s Britain – with crumbling industry, a bleak outlook, and in the grip of the Thatcher government.
Though the album was poorly received at the time, “This is England” eventually became a classic. Strummer called it the “last great Clash song”.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
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- 13.Do It Now
Credits
Producer
Writers
Mastered by
Engineers
Lead Vocals
Guitar
Keyboards
Bass Guitar
Drums
Drum Machine
Drum Programming
Artwork
Engineer [Assistant]
Mixing
Assistant mixing
Photography
Recorded By
Sleeve
Label
Copyright (c)
Manufactured by
Mastered at
Mixed At
Phonographic Copyright (p)
Published By
Record Company
Recorded At
Weryton Studios - Unterfohring, Bavaria
Release Date
November 4, 1985
Songs That Interpolate This Is England
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